Captain's Corner: Trout hearty in cold weather

Tactics: Just as water temperatures were starting to approach the mid 60s, we are getting another blast of cold air. Look for most species to become less active. Be prepared to fish slow and deep. The upside is the days are getting longer, and we should begin to recover from this front by the weekend.

What's hot: Trout have seemed to be the least affected by the cold water. Look for the best action to come from the edges of the flats in water 4-6 feet deep. Live shrimp fished close to the bottom under a cork always produces well. Drifting an area while throwing small jigs will help locate the schools; then switching to live shrimp will produce the best action. Pompano have been inhabiting some of the same areas that the trout have been found after these cold fronts. Small jigs tipped with shrimp will produce action on both species.

Tips: March can be a bit on the breezy side and can make drift fishing a challenge. A simple solution is to attach a rope to a 5-gallon bucket to slow your drift or buy a drift sock from a boating supply shop. Slowing down your drift will allow you to fish an area much more effectively because the fish are moving slowly right now, and so should you.

Troy P. Sapp with Fins and Tails Guide service can be reached at (813) 920-6928.